Mark Twain once remarked that it was not the things that he did not understand in the Bible that bothered him, it was the things that he did understand.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. –James 1:27 (TNIV)
The writer of the book of James makes this amazing statement about a religion that is “pure” and “faultless”. I believe the idea here is that religion, in its proper expression, is not cold and lifeless, but is actually fresh and life giving. It takes action.
Christianity is not about living a perfect life, or about being able to check off the “religious to-do list.” It is about living the life God wants us to live where we “follow God’s example.” One way we do that is caring about the same things that Jesus did.
Time and time again, the Scriptures display God’s heart for the last and the least of society. A heart for the poor is very close to the heart of God.
Alas…there seems to be too much to do! (Does your mind race like mine at all that should be done!?)
All we can do is ask God what HE would have us do with the life He gave us…in the season of life we are currently in.
Perhaps one of the greatest legacies we can leave the next generation of Christians is a strong expression of caring for those who are the last and least in society.
Wouldn’t it be great, if rather than being known for what it stands against, the people of God were known for what they stand for?
Blessings,
Thora
It’s hard to give words in response to that–except thank you.
Yes and YES! So often I’m faced with battling the things I don’t stand for but the conversation is totally different if it’s about what I DO stand for. Right on Thora!